Published: 09-05-2026 | Category:
Rapides Parish – On Saturday, September 5, 2026, at approximately 12:15 a.m., Louisiana State Police Troop E responded to a one-vehicle crash on Louisiana Highway 488 at Valentine Lake Road. This crash claimed the life of 24-year-old Kalob Bennett of Hineston.
The initial investigation revealed that a 2001 Toyota Tundra, driven by Bennett, was eastbound on Louisiana Highway 488. For reasons still under investigation, Bennett’s vehicle left the roadway, entered the ditch, overturned and struck a tree.
Bennett, who was not restrained, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead on the scene. Routine toxicology samples were collected and will be submitted for analysis. Impairment is a suspected factor. This crash remains under investigation.
Louisiana State Police would like to remind all motorists that if you feel differently, you drive differently. Alcohol, prescription drugs, and other drugs have many effects on the body that negatively affect driving skills. These drugs can impair visual ability, alter the sense of time and space, impair fine motor skills needed to operate a motor vehicle, and decrease reaction times. Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead and designate a sober driver. Not doing so can have deadly consequences.
Contact Information:
M/T Casey Wallace
Louisiana State Police
Public Affairs Section
Office: (318) 239-0912
[email protected]